Politicians ignore demand for parks

Columnist Jay Fidell hit the nail precisely on the head when he wrote about Oahu’s desperate lack of park space ("Parks added to rail project could be Oahu’s High Line," Star-Advertiser, Think Tech, Sept. 30).

As we continue to cement our island over, politicians seemingly turn a blind eye to the woeful lack of green spaces on Oahu. Since there is no money in it, we know the developers are out — Stanford Carr’s recentMother Waldron Park renovation notwithstanding.

There simply can’t be many governors, mayors or politicians going to Central Oahu Regional Park very often because they’d be stunned at what they see — a vast array of heavily used park space that is packed from 7 a.m. to sunset every weekend, with the overflow parking on Kamehameha Highway starting about 8 a.m. Literally thousands, if not more, people staying healthy and happy. Why not more of these?

As Fidell states, the public should demand more from our elected leaders.

Pat Kelly
Kaimuki

Superferry could help in lava crisis

Too bad we don’t have something like the Superferry to help those poor souls in Pahoa with the probable closure of Highway 130. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could probably have jury-rigged an emergency loading ramp to a beach.

For that matter, why isn’t Hawaii serviced by a fleet of ferries in this water state?

Oh, I almost forgot. A few 16-year-old surfers on Kauai might be inconvenienced.

Michael O’Hara
Kaneohe

Were votes for rail compromised?

I think this would be a grand time for the Star-Advertiser to compile a listing of all 100-plus bills and resolutions tied to rail transit and exactly how each City Council member voted.

Likewise, which members, if any, disclosed that they had a conflict of interest tied to their vote. No doubt the Council would fight to keep such data secret, but the law is on the paper’s side and the paper must be firm.

State Rep. Romy Cacholahas opened a bag of deceit by all or most Council members. Taking bribes by politicians in their position demands quick action and open disclosure. It’s time to weed out corruption in the Council once and for all.

This has all the earmarks of stopping rail dead in its tracks, once the facts are verified.

James Robinson
Aiea

Prison guards take vacations at will

Recently Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group, announced he was going to try a flexible vacation schedule at his companies.

He said, "It is left to the employee alone to decide if and when he or she feels like taking a few hours, a day, a week or a month off." He acted like this was a new idea.

The people of Hawaii know this is an old idea. It has been practiced for years at our correctional institutions with our guards. They take vacations when they want, except they call it sick leave.

We should have Branson hire them and see how his idea works. He would be canceling flights every day like visitation is canceled at our prisons.

Carl Bergantz
Kaneohe

Private preschools should stay private

Chaminade University President Bernard Ploeger urges us to support the constitutional amendment that will allow public monies to go to private preschools ("Support amendment for early childhood education," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 24).

He said that "research shows that strong preschool can profoundly enhance academic performance … and social behavior." He neglects to cite that much of that research was commissioned by UNESCO. He has also forgotten that, in our free society, the right and responsibility for "social behavior" of children belongs to parents, not to the government.

Ploeger fails to clarify that private preschools that accept public monies are obliged to adapt the Common Core-based curriculum — a state-dictated indoctrination targeting every child.

Ploeger stressed the need for public-private partnerships in educating our 4-year-olds, even though drafters of our state constitution saw reasons to strictly prohibits such partnerships, particularly in the area of education.

Until we understand what those reasons are, we should probably leave the constitution as written.

Richard Morse
Makiki

Homeless don’t have right to harass

I recently returned from Hono-lulu and was outraged when I saw the despoiling of our paradise by homeless derelicts.

I was especially outraged when reading the comments of City Councilwoman Kymberly Pine that proposed legislation prohibiting lying on sidewalks and urination or defecation in public areas "don’t align with her image of the Aloha State" and "the Hawaii where I was raised" ("Visitor industry pushes for more help from city," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 18).

Just where was she raised where urinating and defecation in public was acceptable?

Hawaii’s politicians better wake up and pass common-sense laws prohibiting indecent behavior, escalating aggressive panhandling harassment of visitors and blocking access to parks and beaches. The homeless population is violating the rights of everyone to enjoy the paradise that once was Hawaii.

Pass common-sense laws and enforce them; otherwise, surrender to this lawless element who have no respect for decency or law or aloha.

H.E. Bud Shasteen
Seattle, Wash.